Category: Meridia Weight Loss Drug

Long time without posting in this case means a very busy Summer. I have been doing well- I think largely because if the medication for thyroid. I am not sure but I also think I may be getting too high a dose . I had blood tested today and will know soon enough.

I am at the 278 mark- which is great because I will be getting my period any moment so I should be at around 275 by next week.

Last time I almost hit this weight was last month before camping and I out on 5 lbs.. argh, High heat, no exercise and ice cream. I will be careful this week and stay away for ice cream and marshmallows.

Still taking Meridia but not sure it makes much of a difference anymore and starting to worry about my increased heart rate.

One of the strategies Dr. Wharton has taken is to increase my dosage of Meridia. I have been taken 10 mg a day since last September. My weight loss has totally plateaued and not only that- I gained 6 pounds in the last month ( which I chalk up to my thyroid issues.. but more about that later)
He didn’t seem discouraged about the weight gain. He think adding a protein snack before eating to boost metabolism will help and also re-testing my blood for TSH and T4 levels for my thyroid.
I was nervous about the higher does of meridia as I had HUGE sleeping issues for the first 2 months that I took it in the Fall.

I have also been going through HUGE stress( stressors?) and my eating has been very sloppy. Hopefully going to the clinic every 2 weeks will help.

One of my weight loss goals was to get insurance through my husband company this June- I need to be weigh 250 lbs to be eligible and I really thought I would. I mentioned this to Dr. Wharton and he said not to worry- it will be September instead.

So- started new meal plan- which adds a protein snack before eating a main meal. Needs to be about 75 calories and have protein. He recommended these bars but now I can’t remember their name. Was a small Canadian company that makes them.

I think I will make and post a list of snacks that have protein and are 75 calories later this week. I am aware that there are no recent pics- will take care of that , too.

It is 2:30 in the morning and I am exhausted- but I can;t sleep. Last week one night I went to sleep at 5:30 am and woke up at 7:00… and could not get back to sleep. I am having a hard time and my husband and I have been discussing going off the drug. I have lost almost 30 lbs but it is taking its toll- the lack off sleep has been hard on every one. I am pretty bitchy and impatient. I feel like a crazy person sometimes from lack of sleep. I am also losing wight and feeling so much hope- I am afraid if i go off of it I will stumble and struggle… maybe ultimately fail.
So I am at odds about what to do. I have weeks that have been okay sleep wise but last 2 weeks have been the worst.
Maybe I will reach 50 lbs weight loss and go off then. I wonder if anyone else has had similar problems taking Meridia. I know many report “insomnia” but that can mean anything from trouble falling asleep to being WIDE AWAKE all night.

No Dr. Wharton today- just a stress test and ultra sound of my heart. Everything great. No heart problems at all. My blood pressure is normal again- if not on the low side 110/70.
Had stress test and was fine as well- not nearly as hard as I thought it would be.
Big news of course is I lost another 7 lbs in since last visit October 10. So I have met my Halloween goal of losing 20 lbs in 2 months all ready! I am down to 295. First time I have weighed been below 300 lbs in almost 5 years or so..

I can’t write much tonight- I went to sleep at 3am and woke up at 5:30 ( Thank-you Meridia for the Insomnia) . I may have to seriously consider going off the drug if this keeps up. My husband has really stepped up to the plate and helped with kids/dinner, etc when I have been zombie like this. Will update charts more tomorrow.

Other meridia side effect- REALLY dry mouth last few days.
Insomnia just terrible. I am basket case. I have taken Tylenol PM a few times to get/stay asleep and will ask doctor again if this is okay. I notice i am kind of bitchy next day if I take it night before.

Other highlights- my clothes are starting to hang and wearing jeans! Will post pics on the weekend.

I went for me third visit yesterday. I should say at this point that I am RARELY wrong when assessing people and situations- and this turn out to be a time when my initial impression was way off base. I was wrong. I will write later about it- just to say that my initial skepticism has proven unfounded. Dr. Wharton is the real deal.

I went to my 3rd visit at Canadian Bariatric Clinic lead by Dr. Sean Wharton. I had an ECG test and breath test. Went very smoothly and took very little time. Technician quite friendly.

Saw Derek, whose role I am not 100% sure of… My best guess is that he inputs what I tell him into a computer to save Dr. Wharton time. There are not many question he is able to answer- most because of legal reasons. He also does not seem that knowledgeable in general- he has admitted to being new to the field. he is amiable and friendly however and if you are the type that is nervous to get weighed or discuss food issues he is very non-threatening.

Weigh-in- Was disappointed. As i thought the other scales at family doctors office are not in sync.. so I am at 301. Which means from last visit at CBC ( Canadian Bariatric Clinic) I am down about 7 lbs.

I then saw Dr. Wharton- I often have to resist calling him Sean, as he is quite open and warm. When I fist met him last month I thought him disingenuous but I think I misread his motives. He really is THAT passionate and committed to his work and does not have the air of arrogance that most medical professionals to carry.

I was unusually chatty and wired at the visit. I have extreme sensitivity to caffeine and mistakenly had a non-decaf tea earlier in the day- so I talked doctors ear off…
Key Points:
I asked about headaches that I thought might becoming from Meridia- he suggested I try drinking more water- that it could be toxins being released as I lose weight.

he did also ask if I would like to be part of weight loss support group he is starting up soon. I eagerly agreed.

Insomnia: I am having a rough time with not sleeping. Some night I can get to sleep but wake up early.. other I can’t get to sleep easily and worst nights- both. I wonder if headaches are from loss of sleep. Dr. Wharton said that if they side effects continue to be a problem then at some point we could look at stopping the Meridia.

Bizarre Dreams: He mentioned this was probably because of the poor quality of sleep.

We then talked about some non- weightless related stuff and had quite a long visit. I left energized.

I go this insert in my Meridia prescription box. It is promoting the support website for those taking Meridia, mydecision.ca .
You need the DIN number of the drug to login and register. The site offers diet info, If you have lost it ,
the Meridia DIN is 02243163. The site is set up for those who have been prescribed Meridia and is looks like it is useful dieting tool.
Would be curious to here what others think… though I am not sure I want a drug company monitoring my behavior, etc.

There is a meal planner which helps you plan meals based on the caloric intake you suggest, and TO ME its is a bit cumbersome. I have been using a good ole pen and paper reading labels and books I do have have software that should make it easy- from Calorie King and they do have a free download to try for 7 days. Again, Maybe I am old fashion but writing it down seems easier and you get more familiar with prices. The software is easy to use- you can customize stuff… think I will write separate post about it.

I have been plagued with migraine headache since Friday ( 5 days now) , though Sunday was okay. I get a migraine about once every two years and usually for day or so. This has been awful My neck really hurts, sensitive to sound and light, etc.

I took Tylenol #3 Sunday and they worked but I hate feeling “stoned” took a Migraine Relief tab from Target this afternoon- which has made me feel weird- headache kind of gone.. neck still kills. I have bad reaction to any kind of caffeine- which this has in it- so not pleasant on top the raciness from Meridia…

I have been trying to find out if Meridia is causing the headache. Pharmacist says that in testing 12% on placebo reported headache and 15% on the Meridia reports headache and he doubted that was it. Was also trying to find out if weight loss could be causing it..
I have been dizzy and nauseous as well- that I usually get from migraine as well, though. I was thinking that toxins in fat cells maybe flushing my system- if that makes sense.
My muscle are aching and I just feel crappy. Maybe from lack of sleep? I am having rough time sleeping- maybe getting 5 hours a night and I really need 7/8.
See doctor next week so will ask him about it. Getting some testing done and need to make time to get all the blood work and liver ultrasounds completed.

If any one knows if you can get severe headaches from weight loss- PLEASE let me know :-)

As of of now- 1 month after I started my weight loss journey using Meridia weight loss drug and lower calories diet I have lost 12 lbs!
My current weight is 302 lbs. Yeah! I am quite pleased. I started at 314 4 weeks ago. I am following a low calories diet ( 1500-1800 calories a day) and trying to eat low glycemic foods- as well as more fiber and protein.
Here is my pic now:

Had my second visit last week. I met a different “bariatric technician” named Derek who was a little less monotone than Christina. To be fair the clinic gets 15+ new patients a day so must be difficult to keep the information fresh.

I spent about 20 mins with Derek, who was quite kind and gentle- though he admitted he was new to the field. He went over my diet journal and made some comments. I think what happens is he inputs into computer and Dr. Wharton takes a quick glance at it.

Met Dr. Wharton for a few minutes and was given a meal plan. By this- told how many calories to have in a day and what the makeup of those calories should be… At least 90 g of protein and 30 (!!) grams of fiber.
I am to stick to a 1500 calorie plan although I may just do an 1800 calorie one.

I also asked him a bit more about the Meridia- he told me that it was not true that the Meridia boosted metabolism as I was told by my family doctor. He also stressed again the importance of eating slowly.

I am not sure how much to share on this blog0 some of the details are deeply personal. One of the things I discussed with the Doctor was my relationship with food. That I felt I did not eat from hunger or pleasure or comfort- but more out o anger or self-mutilation. This is something I will need to think on. I don’t eat a lot- but I do binge every once in awhile .. so my weight has crept up over the years- about 3 lbs a years for the last 10 years. I so have some eating issues and he recommended I see their on staff Bariatric psychiatrist. So I will think about it.

Saw my doctor today for two weeks check up- they need to monitor blood pressure for first little while taking Meridia.
My blood pressure is fine it is about the same 130/77 . My heart rate is a little high though- was 81 which is higher than it normally is…
I also got weighed- i started 2 weeks ago at 142.5 kg ( 315 lbs) and this morning it was 140.5 kg (310.5) so close to 5 lbs !
I am quite pleased- as I don’t feel like I have honestly been eating that much differently- though we are following a low glycemic diet- eating whole grains and reducing or cutting out simple processed carbohydrates.
I do feel with Meridia that I am craving less and do not feel hungry. I still feel pretty racy and sleep is an issue.

Other news- I am seeing the obesity specialist soon. Dr Sean Wharton at the Canadian Bariatric clinic. I am quite nervous. I don’t know why- but I am… I have mixed reviews on him- my doctor says he is great but on some of the obesity forums people have have not been that positive- saying he REALLY pushes expensive liquid weight loss product, Opti-fast, which I have no desire to take. It is also $3500.00 for the program ( I believe it is 6 month program). I will give full report next week.